Sadly not a blog about toupees, but whether or not you should pay gratuities as advised by your cruise line, or do your own thing completely?
The majority of cruise lines will charge an additional amount per person per day as a service charge, if tips aren’t pre-paid in advance of your cruise. This is charged to your on-board account, unless you visit the front desk and have them removed. There are some exceptions to the rule however, such as Marella and P&O Cruises (the latter removing gratuities from May this year).
But do you agree with having to pay a set amount no matter what service you receive? What if you’ve had particularly poor service on your cruise? Maybe the complete opposite and one member of staff has gone above and beyond for you.
Gratuities are pooled and a portion given to those front of house and behind the scenes who have made your stay enjoyable, but you will never see, such as the laundry staff who provide those crisp white sheets for example. So if you didn’t pay your gratuities as recommended, the staff behind the scenes wouldn’t benefit. Could this potentially see a drop in service levels?
Some customers prefer to tip directly if they’ve had good service, this way they can ensure that they are happy the money is going towards the employee who deserves it. On the other hand, there are customers who would prefer that everything is included, as it’s one less thing to worry about. Personally I’m the latter and if I get exceptional service, I ensure that that person is recognised by informing the front desk.
I remember our cabin steward Derek on-board the Harmony of the Seas. No matter what time of day or night, we would be greeted with his huge smile. We began to wonder if he ever slept? He ensured our cabin was kept immaculate and our towels were transformed daily into a variety of animals. He advised us of the best trips, places to see and nothing was ever too much trouble. So not only did we pay the gratuities as advised, we made sure his service was recognised and we tipped him extra!
So has anyone else got any stories of good and bad service, or just your views on tipping as a whole?
Comment away!
My next blog will be featuring the brand spanking new MSC Bellissima. I am lucky enough to have been invited to attend the Travel Industry launch party of this magnificent ship. So keep a look out for lots of pictures and information on this exciting new ship.
